I intend to give a brief synopsis of issues
presented at this inquest . I would like to stress that much of this will
be my interpretation of the evidence and also my interpretation of the
jury's reasons. The sole purpose for this is to assist the reader to more
fully understand the verdict and recommendations of the jury and is not
intended to be considered as actual evidence presented at the inquest.
It is in no way intended to replace the jury's verdict.

The inquest began on February 16, 1998, the
jury returned their verdict and recommendations on July 2, 1998 after 10
days of deliberation.

Synopsis of the relationship and the events.
Randy Joseph Iles was 36 years old at the time of his death. He was married
at the time to his third wife.

His past history included criminal convictions
for indecent exposure, harassing phone calls, breach of probation, possession
of stolen property, and a weapons offense for which he received a five
year prohibition order. His previous marriages had produced two children.
Upon dissolution of these marriages there were instances of child abduction,
stalking, threatening with a weapon, and custody disputes in Family Court.

Randy adopted the three children of his third
wife and they had another child. In 1994 Randy began an intimate
relationship with Arlene May, a cousin of his wife. Arlene became pregnant
. The violence appears to have begun during the pregnancy. In the fall
of 1996 the pregnancy ended with the delivery of a stillborn infant.

On November 14, 1995 an assault occurred. Arlene
reported it to the police on November 20after visiting a Woman's Shelter
and being encouraged to seek medical treatment and report the events to
the police. The attached chart indicates the sequence of court appearances
and outcomes( see Appendix A). Not included in html document

Randy Iles' final appearance before the courts
occurred on February 29, 1996. He was released on condition that he leave
the jurisdiction. At the time of his release, there was a warrant for his
arrest in the neighbouring jurisdiction (Simcoe County).

This warrant information had been entered on
his criminal record February 27, 1998. The CPIC(Canadian Police Information
Centre) record that was made available to the court in Grey County at his
appearance of February 29th had been printed on the 26th of February and
therefore the outstanding Simcoe warrant did not appear.

Randy and his family moved to the Oshawa area.
On March 6, another warrant was issued in Grey County for breaching his
recognizance by communicating with Arlene May. In an attempt to find Randy,
his lawyer was contacted by the police in this jurisdiction about the outstanding
warrant. Randy was advised about the most recent warrant by his counsel
on March 7, 1996.

The next morning Randy purchased a gun from
a store in Oshawa. He had not been asked to surrender his FAC (Firearms
Acquisition Certificate) although this had been a condition of bail as
stated by the court. This condition was not recorded on his recognizance
of bail papers and the FAC was still in his possession.

Randy rented a van and drove to home of Arlene
May. He awaited the arrival of Arlene and one of her children. Two other
children were already at the house. Arlene arrived in the early afternoon
and Randy forced her into the house.

The three children were barricaded in a closet
for hours. A young child asked to go to the bathroom. Randy allowed her
to go. After a period of time, when she did not return, the other two children
forced their way out of the closet. Randy ordered all three to go to the
corner store and call the police. The last they saw of their mother was
her sitting on her bed, crying, telling them to go.

The police responded to the home. They were
unable to establish contact, and at approximately 3:40 they entered the
home and found both Randy and Arlene deceased in her bedroom.

The evidence was presented the jury in phases:

1. History of the background of Arlene May
and Randy Iles and their relationship
2. The issues of Domestic Violence
3. The response of the Police Services to
the reports of the violence
4. The response of the Crown Attorneys and
the Courts to the allegations of the violence
5. The community supports available to Arlene
May

The jury heard from 76 witnesses over 51 days
of evidence.

They heard from surviving members of the May
and Iles families. They heard from the police who responded to the incidents
of the violence, from the court officers and the Crown Attorneys who dealt
with the matters in the Courts of two jurisdictions. They heard from the
lawyer who acted for Randy Iles at some of his court appearances.

They heard about problems in the gathering,
recording, sharing and reviewing information and how these problems contributed
to the final outcome.

They heard from the workers at the shelter
where Arlene sought safety on two occasions and heard possible explanations
for why she did not go back.

They heard about police, court staff and Crown
Attorney training. They heard about the training offered to members of
the judiciary.

Evidence was presented about the broad issue
of Domestic Violence. The jury heard how the perception of violence in
intimate relationships is changing, how this type of violence differs from
other crimes of violence. They heard evidence about the cycle of violence
within a relationship and from generation to generation.

The jury returned with 213 recommendations
requesting in their opening statement a Zero Tolerance of Domestic Violence,
recognition of the unique aspects of Domestic Violence as a crime, and
a goal of a "Seamless" programme across Ontario for victims of this crime.

The jury's recommendations are self- explanatory.
Should any further clarification be required, please contact me.

In closing, I would like to stress once again
that this document was prepared solely for the purpose of assisting interested
parties in understanding the jury verdict. It is worth repeating that it
is not the verdict. Likewise many of the comments regarding the evidence
are my personal recollection of the same and are not put forth as actual
evidence. IF any party feels that I made a gross error in my recollection
of the evidence, it would be greatly appreciated if it could be brought
to my attention and I will gladly correct the error.

Verdict of Coroner's Jury

We:

John Popkin of
Toronto
Teresita Galosa of
Toronto
John Gouglas of Toronto
Rhonda King of
Toronto

We the Jury, on behalf of the citizens of Ontario,
wish to express our sincere condolences to the families of Arlene May and
Randy Iles. The effects that this tragedy has had on their families is
well understood and has been held in high priority during this inquest.

As we approach the millennium we are faced
with the reality of the violence occurring to women and children in our
society. Until we, as a country stand up and declare a 'Zero Tolerance',
this problem will not only continue, but in this jury's opinion, will escalate.
It is our belief that every person has an equal right
to be protected from abuse.

A combined effort must be made by our Government
and Communities in order to put an end to family violence. The myths attached
to family violence must be dispelled. Domestic violence is a Criminal Offence
and must never be viewed as a 'private matter'.

Domestic violence cases are different than
other criminal cases. In most situations the accused and the victim would
normally never meet again. With domestic violence, the accused often must
have contact with the victim due to property, support and child issues.
The criminal justice system will have to be changed to deal effectively
with these differences.

With these goals in focus, we offer the following
recommendations, which are not in any particular order of priority but
have placed into categories where we felt they could be easily and best
implemented.

A. STEERING COMMITTEE

We recommend that the Ontario Government immediately
form and fund a Steering Committee composed of equal numbers of Government
and Community based members. The steering committee should be responsible
for the following:

1. To determine what statistics from Government
and Community organizations are required to monitor the effectiveness of
programmes.

2. To inventory and review all existing domestic
violence related services and programmes.

3. To recommend the creation, expansion, reduction
combination of services to form a seamless domestic violence programme
across Ontario, ea. a review of community based Victim Services (VCARS,
Victim Services of Peel, etc.) and the Victim/Witness assistance programme
(VWAP).

4. To continue to monitor the efficiency of
the programmes and recommend necessary changes.

5. Committee members should all be experts
in the area of domestic violence.

Rationale

A 'patchwork' of Victim Services have been
formed throughout Ontario due to a lack of communication, co-operation
and co-ordination. In order to provide a seamless programme, it would be
best if the private and public sectors worked not as competing interests,
but together as partners. Their joint efforts would better co-ordinate
all financial and human resources in the common goal of stopping domestic
violence, which is at epidemic proportions. A Steering Committee would
accomplish this.

B. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

I . The Government of Ontario should establish
a committee, including equal numbers of government and Community based
members to oversee the Implementation and co-ordination of the recommendations
made as a result of this inquest. '

2. The Government of Ontario should initiate
a campaign, or strengthen any existing campaign, to generate public awareness
of domestic violence and its effect on victims and witnesses, breaking
the silence of victims and those who are aware of their victimization,
and promoting a widespread zero tolerance policy.

3. The design and implementation of such a
campaign should involve the input of victims' groups and service providers,
as well as recognized experts in the field of domestic violence.

4. All Ministries of the Government of Ontano
should consult with woman's advocacy groups before the introduction of
any initiatives or policies related to domestic violence against women
and child witnesses of violence.

5. The Status of Women Canada/Ontario Women's
Directorate should conduct an audit of the recommendations of the Panel
on Violence Against Women in Canada and report publicly on progress made
towards each specific recommendation, as well as an action plan to complete
those recommendations not yet implemented.

6. Defence Lawyers must be reminded of their
obligations under the Law Society Professional Code of Conduct when acting
for the accused in Domestic Violence cases and there is concern for the
victim's safety.

7. The Chief Coroner's Office should provide
a report one year following release of the jury's recommendations publicly
reporting on the status of implementation of the recommendations and reasons
provided by the parties for failure to implement any of the recommendations.

8. The Ministry of Community and Social Services
should review the funding for shelters for abused women and children.

C. POLICE

Risk Assessment and Safety Issues

1. All police officers should be directed to
provide safety planning to woman victims of domestic violence, or to call
a Victim Services to provide immediate safety planning or accompany the
woman to a women's shelter where safety planning can occur as a routine
procedure in all cases.

2. Police should be directed through a written
l)'Duty to Warn' policy of the responsibility to warn all victims of domestic
violence about the risks of their situation.

3. If police officers have concerns for the
victim's safety they must include that opinion and the reasons in the crown
brief in conjunction with the safety checklist.

4. All police officers should be directed by
written policy to conduct a risk assessment in consultation with the victim
and Victims Services during routine domestic violence case investigations.
Police must be directed to inform the woman that she may revise the information
on the assessment at any time.

5. Risk assessment codes should be placed on
OMPPAC showing that the assessment was done on the accused.

6. Police officers involved in the investigation
of domestic violence should be directed to consider the use of the Behavioural
Science Unit, Ontario Provincial Police to conduct a complete risk assessment
analysis for repeat offenders or offenders of concern.

7. The risk assessment and lethality checklists
should be included in the field guides of police officers for ready reference
during the conduct of investigations and the preparation of documentation
for Court use. Police officers must be trained in the use of checklists.

8. Police should be directed to carry pamphlets
for immediate distribution to victims of domestic violence which contain
the following information:

a) All services available to the victim and
her children in the local community; and

b) An explanation of the cycle of violence
and advice on safety planning ideas and techniques.

D. POLICE

Investigation Procedures

1. Dedicated police teams should be set up
for domestic violence cases and each case should have a dedicated officer
(with training in domestic violence) assigned to follow the case through
from beginning to end and to act as victim's contact. (To avoid having
the victim repeat her entire history over and over).

2. Police should use the domestic violence
checklist developed under the direction of the Implementation Committee
to ensure a thorough investigation.

3. Investigating police officers should be
directed by written policy to contact 'Victim Services' after first contact
with woman victims of domestic violence in order to ensure support from
the earliest possible involvement with the criminal justice system.

4. The investigating officer is to make such
inquiries of the accused's family members, or other associates as may reasonably
be practicable to ascertain whether weapons/PAC's are available to the
accused.

5. Where police become aware of current intimate
partners other than the victim in a particular incident, they should make
an effort to contact the woman and inform/warn her of potential risk to
her and her children.

6. In cases where there is more than one victim,
the secondary and other victims should get the same consideration and help
as the primary victim.

7. Every police officer who is involved in
the investigation of domestic violence cases should be instructed to examine
each case for evidence of stalking behaviour (criminal harassment).

8. Police Officers should be encouraged to:

a) Make use of electronic recording of evidence
in domestic violence cases such as audio and videotape;

b) Prepare summaries of the important evidence
on such tapes and "flag"' such summaries and their importance for the benefit
of the crown attorney who will deal with the matter in bail court; and

c) Provide a copy of any typed transcript and/or
synopsis to the victim as soon as they are available.

9. That before sworn videotaped statements
are taken, police must be directed by written policy to inform women that
such statements may be used without their consent and may be disclosed
through the Defence to the accused.

10. Police must collect all evidence available
in every domestic violence case, including photographs/videotape of the
crime scene, 911 tapes, answering machine tapes, statements of the accused
and the victim, statements of any witnesses, hospital records, utterances
to police not captured in accused statements, etc. in order to minimize
the onus placed on victims to provide testimony.

11. All statements obtained by the police from
victims, witnesses and accused must be dated when taken.

12. Police should be directed to follow current
Police policy that photographs of injuries to female victims, which are
covered by clothing should be taken by female police staff. And further,
that photographs be taken immediately after the assault and again 24 to
48 hours later when soft tissue contusions become more visible.

13. The Police policy should instruct Police
officers to consider charging an offender with obstruction of justice where
there are reasonable grounds to believe that a breach of a restraining
order has occurred while charges are still pending against the offender.
The reporting officer should review the circumstances of the breach with
the Crown Attorney so that the possibility of seeking bail variation or
revocation can be considered.

14. In keeping with the existing policy of
mandatory charging in the instance of domestic assault, when a Police officer
investigates a case of domestic violence wherever there is evidence of
stalking there should be a corresponding mandatory charging policy requiring
that the accused be charged with criminal harassment pursuant to section
264 of the Criminal Code of Canada

15. Police must complete their notes prior
to going off-duty. Protocols should be developed regarding the standards
for such notes. Important information must be summarized and separately
highlighted. Investigating officers must ensure that the officer who will
attend in court is fully cognizant of all issues and concerns and that
these will be conveyed in a meaningful way to the Crown Attorney and to
the Court.

16. Where there are allegations of counter
assault, Police must investigate fully to determine the primary offender
in order to distinguish assault from defensive self-protection. ;

Further, that Police be directed by written
policy not to lay charges in cases where victims have taken self-defensive
action.

17. All materials in the Crown Brief must be
marked with the date and time entered and the signature of the police officer
or Crown Attomey/Assistant Crown Attorney responsible for the entry.

18a. All domestic violence case briefs must
be "red flagged" for special attention by the prosecution, and to ensure
full compliance with the policies regarding the conduct of bail hearings,
and the prosecution of spousal/partner abuse cases.

c) Where the victim of an offence
is a vulnerable person the flag should be coded on CPIC and OMPPAC.

19. When possible, investigating officers should
make themselves available in bail court where the case involves domestic
assault.

20. Investigating Police officers should be
directed by written policy to inform victimsof domestic violence immediately
of the time and locationof the bail hearing, and subseqntly of all court
appearances of the accused.

21. Police should have the victim's safety
foremost in their minds when they list terms for release in the event that
the accused is granted bail.

22. Following a bail hearing, the Police have
the responsibility of ensuring that the result of the hearing and any release
conditions are communicated to the victim. Further, the victim should
be provided with a copy of the recognizance or a summary of the bail conditions.
The conditions must be explained to the victim including the fact that
a no-communication order means that if she contacts the accused, she may
precipitate a breach.

23. All bail breaches, but particularly stalking-related
bail breaches must be reported to the Crown Attorney forthwith together
with an updated assessment of the danger risk.

24. All Police officers should be directed
to investigate the first reported incident of domestic violence as a serious,
high priority call based on the fact that on averae women experience 35
assaults before reporting to the police.

25. A Victim Services representative should
be available to attend bail hearings in the event the victim does not attend
to ensure that the victim's position on safety concerns is made known to
the court.

26. Each police service should have a domestic
violence co-ordinator to liaise with Crown Attorneys, Parole and Probation
Services, the Victim/Witness Assistance Programme (VWAP) and other local
services responsible for responding to issues related to incidents of domestic
violence, and who, will in turn, communicate those issues and initiatives
to all members of the police service.

27. Police should develop protocols in conjuction
with Victim Witness Assistance and Victim Services staff to ensure that
victims in cases which do not go to court continue to receive appropriate
community reerrals and supports. Victims cannot be permitted to "fall
between the cracks".

E. POLICE

Bail Briefs

1. Policing Services, in consultation with
the Ministry of the Attorney General should establish a standard Crown
brief protocol for use by all Police Services throughout the Province of
Ontario.

2. The contents of the standard Crown bail
brief, should be available to all Police Services by computer access in
order to ensure that information known to one jurisdiction is available
to another, to detect if the accused has outstanding charges and releases
for crimes of violence in the another jurisdiction.

3. All briefs should have an envelope with
an index on the front cover showing document name, creation date, inclusion
date and a disclosure date.

4. On every document inside the brief the number
of pages of the document should be indicated and initialed by the creator.
When adding a note to the brief, the note must be attached to a full sheet
of paper and listed on the front cover of the brief. No 'post-it'
notes to be used.

5. Police officers must ensure that all the
information in a bail brief is up-to-date. In the case of electronic records
that can change over time to reflect new information, these must be updated
immediately before and, if necessary, during a bail hearing.

6. Recognizing that the Integrated Justice
System project will not be completed for a number of years, current systems
should be adapted immediately to include:

a) Risk assessment information;
b) Results of bail and other court proceedings;
c) A domestic violence indicator on all charges
in which domestic violence is a factor, and
d) Bail conditions.

F. POLICE

Systems (OMPPAC and CPIC etc)

1. Police court officers should have courthouse
access to CPIC in all jurisdictions in Ontario for immediate criminal record
checks and data entry.

2. Police and court officers should enter information
related to domestic violence cases, including results of bail hearings
and other court appearance on computer Systems immediately, or at least
within a maximum of 24 hours, and that officers should be available to
enter information on a 24 hour basis.

3. The ViClass information system reports should
specifically include high-risk domestic violence crimes such as use of
weapons, threats to kill, criminal harassment, assault causing bodily harm,
abduction and unlawful confinement, breach of bail conditions etc.

4. All police forces should be obliged to use
OMPPAC.

5. Specific search fields within CPIC should
include 'domestic violence' as a category in order that the record of anyone
involved in violence within an intimate relationship is captured in a search
of the accused's criminal past.

6. All Family violence cases should be flagged
and tracked separately throughout the system in a standardized manner across
the province.

7. Any new pilots or initiatives must have
a data collection component so that the effectiveness of the programme
may be measured. Data collection components must be added to any existing
pilot projects.

8. Pending implementation of the Integrated
Justice Project, steps should be taken to improve information available
on CPIC.

G. POLICE

Training/Education

1. Training of Police officers should include
presentations by independent, front line, community based women's and children's
advocates and survivors of domestic violence.

2. All new training materials for Police officers
regarding domestic violence should reflect the various needs of women to
ensure equality of service.

3. Ontario Police College trainers not seconded
from community- based, front line women's services should receive 'train
the trainer' education from the representative of these services before
beginning to train Police officers.

4. All front line Police officers and their
supervisors must receive mandatory on-going, recurring domestic violence
training in the following areas:

a) Investigative techniques for domestic violence;
b) Safety planning and the use of safety planning
checklists;
c) Risk assessment and the use of risk assessment
checklists; and
d) Lethality factors and the use of the lethality
checklists.

5. Police and court officers should be trained
to enter information related to domestic violence cases, including results
of bail hearings and other court appearances on computer Systems immediately,
or at least within a maximum of 24 hours, and that officers with such training
be available to enter information on a 24 hour basis.

H. POLICE

General . .

I. The Government of Ontario must consider
specifically funding programmes for small municipal Police services, and
for other service providers in smaller urban or rural areas, to ensure
the availability of adequate resources to address all issues related to
domestic violence. All Police forces must be trained to the same standard.

2. Protocols should be developed on the role
and duties of Police court officers.

3. There should be a provincial standard that
emphasizes victim safety.

4. A Universal safety checklist should be developed
for use by Police officers. The checklist must deal with risk or threat
indicators.

5. A checklist of Procedures must be created
to be used by Police officers in cases of domestic violence to ensure that
fill investigation is completed and documented .

6. The Behavioural Science Unit, OPP should,
in consultation with representatives from shelters, Victim Services and
other authorities in the field of domestic violence, develop a risk assessment
instrument and a lethality checklist. These should be used by the investigating
police officers in all cases of domestic violence as a reminder of important
matters to consider, such as whether the accused has access to firearms
and/or possess a FAC.

I. MINISTRY OF SOLICITOR GENERAL AND CORRECTIONAL
SERVICES

1. The Policing Services branch of the Ministry
of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services should conduct an audit
of domestic violence cases in conjunction with the Police Services to determine
whether there are any deficiencies in the investigation of such cases,
and to make recommendations in areas where additional training and education
is
required.

2. Individual Police officer response to domestic
violence, should be monitored province wide. Officers should be held accountable
to a provincial standard on response to domestic violence.

3. The Solicitor General of Ontario should
issue a directive encouraging Police to use their authority under Section
103 of the Criminal Code to search and seize weapons and FAC's from an
individual for safety reasons in domestic violence cases.

4. A protocol should be established province
wide with Police Services for the preparation of summaries, and transcripts
of video tape statements for timely use in prosecutions.

5. The Solicitor General shall arrange that
all Police Services in the province have access to OMPPAC.

J. VICTIM/WITNESS ASSISTANCE

1. The Victim/Witness Assistance programme
must be migrated to all jurisdictions in the province immediately.

2. Where there is no Victim Service programme
currently in place, Victim/Witness Assistance programme staff must contact
the victim prior to the commencement of the bail hearings to ensure that
all important information has been brought to the attention of the Crown.
Programme staff must be made available to assist the crown attorney and
the victim.

Rationale

It is vitally important that the victim receive
assistance and advice before the bail hearing so that she can make informed
decisions regarding the safety of herself and her children. Victim Services
is preferred for this due to its independence from the criminal justice
system, however in the absence of Victim Services, Victim Witness Assistance
should be expanded to address the bail hearing.

4. Victim/Witness co-ordinators are to advise
women using the programme that information and documentation they provide
to the co-ordinator may be disclosed to the victim's abusive partner.

5. Victim/Witness Assistance personnel should
be fully trained on issues of domestic violence and its impact on child
witnesses of violence. Training should be provided by community-based,
front line women's advocates and should include information on compounding
issues such as culture, race, language, disability, sexuality etc.

K MEDICAL PROFESSION

1. Physicians should utilize a documentation
protocol to record evidence of suspected, and confirmed domestic abuse
of patients.

2. The detection and effects of domestic violence
should be included in the curriculum of medical schools, the licensing
examinations for physicians and other medical health professionals, and
their continuing education programmes.

3. Medical professionals should have a duty
to inform about patients who present as an imminent risk to the safety
of others.

L. INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEM

1. The efforts of the Integrated Justice Project
should be encouraged, particularly those initiatives that will result in
better information and data collection, and in improved communication links
among those involved in the criminal justice system.

3. The Integrated Justice Initiative should
be directed to incorporate into information systems, a mechanism for reporting
lethality factors of accused in domestic violence cases.

4. The Integrated Justice Initiative should
be directed to include provision on all Police computer information systems
for the retrieval and sharing of family law restraining orders, orders
for possession of the matrimonial home and custody/access orders.

1. The Federal government is encouraged to bring
into force on October 1, 1998 the firearm licensing provision of Bill C-68,notwithstanding
any delays which may occur due to litigation involving the gun control
and registration portion of the legislation.

2. If regulations associated with C-68 federal
gun control legislation are not implemented as scheduled, firearm acquisition
officers in Ontario should be directed by written policy to conduct a full
investigation into applications for FAC's, including interviews of all
references and current and former partners, criminal history search with
specific focus on violent and domestic related charges, lethality assessment
factors, suicide attempts, contact with relevant community professionals
etc.

3. All police officers in Ontario must receive
training on the new firearms legislation and policy with particular focus
on domestic violence issues.

4. The policy and procedures of Police Services
should direct that whenever an application is made for an FAC the Police
Service that conducts the background investigation shall create an occurrence
report. The occurrence report should be entered on OMPPAC or other computer
system utilized by the police services regardless of whether the application
is granted or refused, in order that information is made accessible to
other Police Services.

5. Police to regularly monitor sellers of firearms
for compliance to the latest legislation.

6. It is recommended that the authorization to
purchase an unrestricted firearm as required by the draft provisions of
Bill C-.68 must be delayed for up to seven days to be certain that the
"firearm interest person" (FIP) record system has been updated to include
all firearm prohibition orders.

7. All Police officers involved in the investigation
of domestic violence must be trained and instructed to make a check with
the Chief Provincial Firearms Officer to ascertain whether an accused has
a firearm acquisition certificate.

8. The issuance of a warrant to arrest an accused
should automatically trigger the suspension of an FAC.

9. The Ministry of the Attorney General must ensure
that Crown Attorneys receive training on the new federal firearm licensing
and registration provisions of Bill C-68.

10. The Ministry of the Attomey General, as part
of its education plan, must ensure that every Crown Attomey knows how to
check or to arrange to check to see if someone has a firearm acquisition
certificate (FAC).

11. Checking for FAC's and consideration of an
FAC ban as a bail condition must be mandatory in domestic violence cases.

12. The Police should be directed to ask accused
and victims of domestic violence about the existence of a firearms acquisition
certificate, firearms, or possession of other lethal weapons, in every
domestic violence case and that further, Police should check the accuracy
of facts such as address and phone number prior to preparing for the bail
hearing.

13. Where victims indicate the accused has a gun,
Police should investigate fully the possession of firearms and FAC's including
contacting additional partners of the accused known to Police, checking
computer data bases and seeking warrants to search vehicles and premises,
including workplace, etc., pursuant to Section 103 of the Criminal Code
of Canada.

14. In all instances where an accused is charged
with an offence involving domestic violence, the Police shall recommend
a firearms/weapons prohibition, and an order directing the accused to surrender
his firearms acquisition certificate and weapons be requested.

15. Where an accused is ordered to surrender an
FAC and/or weapons, procedures should call for immediate enforcement by
the Police.

SPECIALIZED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS

1. The Attomey General should ensure that there
are dedicated domestic violence courts, which incorporate both the early
intervention approach as employed in the North York model and the vigorous
prosecution approach utilized in the Toronto K-Court model, where the volume
of cases warrant such Courts. These dedicated courts should be staffed
by:

b) Specifically dedicated Police officers trained
to investigate cases of domestic violence and the collection of evidence
to ensure a vigorous prosecution; and

c) A Victim/Witness Assistance programme co-ordinator
and staff to assist and advocate in the interest of the victim through
the criminal court process.

2. The domestic violence court should deal with
all cases of domestic violence within the jurisdiction from the bail hearing
to the conclusion of the case. In addition, all breaches of bail orders
relating to charges of domestic violence should be dealt with swiftly,
effectively and consistently within the dedicated domestic violence court
rather than within the general stream of cases conducted in the criminal
courts.

3. In court districts where case load and staffing
levels won't support the dedicated court, the spirit of the model should
be implemented using dedicated crowns.

4. Bail hearings in these districts should be
divided into domestic violence cases and all others. There should be a
separate Crown for domestic violence bail hearings and there should be
sufficient time for review of the bail brief.

5. Crowns and Judiciary involved in domestic violence
courts should receive training on the objectives and methods of the North
York-Court model and in-depth training on domestic violence.

6. The existing North York model of specialized
courts should be fully evaluated including interviews with victims and
women's advocates to find out which functions should or should not be used
in the domestic violence court and which function(s) should be improved
before migration (i.e., batterer's programme).

7. Specialized courts using diversion to counselling
prior to sentencing, such as the North York model should be required to
conduct full private interviews with women victims prior to screening cases
into the model. This will ensure that prior incidents of violence are identified.
The 'first charge' should not be taken to mean the ‘first assault' in these
cases.

8. All courts should have access to televisions,
V.C.R.'s tape recorders etc.

9. A Domestic Assault Review Team (D.RT.) should
be established in all jurisdictions where no domestic violence court exists
in order to monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures in these
jurisdictions.

O. COURTS

I . Sentences in cases of domestic violence must
reflect society's abhorrence of these crimes, and the determination to
take all appropriate steps to eliminate the problem. Consideration should
be given to making counselling a mandatory component of any sentence.

2. Standard practices and standardized court documentation,
should be developed in consultation with the Ontario Court of Justice (General
and Provincial Divisions) and the Attomey General to be used throughout
the Province.

3. Courts Administration should develop a standard
training manual for all court clerks and staff throughout the Province.

4. Where the need exists, more bail courts must
be opened within the jurisdiction on an ad hoc basis to ensure that the
prosecutors and the Court can give each case the attention that is required
in order to protect the rights of the accused and to ensure the safety
of the victim. It is also important that the prosecution has adequate time
to fully present the facts of the case so that the JP/Judge is able to
make an independent judgement.

5. There must be a procedure to ensure that the
final criminal copy of release orders accurately reflect the conditions
agreed upon.

6. Intentional court delays by the accused and
their counsel must be discouraged as they increase the potential risk to
the victim and her children. These delays are expensive and over-load the
court system. Where there is evidence of intentional court delays, costs
should be sought as a deterrent.

7. It is recommended that Judges and J.P.'s should
receive additional training on:

a) The dynamics of domestic violence against women;b) The impact on child witnesses of violence;c) The differential impacts of issues of culture,
race, language and disability;d) The power and control exercised in intimate
relationships;e) The indicators of lethality;f) The application of charter interpretations
to domestic violence and family law, andg) Scientific advances in fields of sociology
and psychology as related to domestic violence.

P. CROWN ATTORNEY

1. Crown Attorneys/Assistant Crown Attorneys must
confer with victims and women's advocates in private, without the accused
present.

2. Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attomeys assigned
to bail hearings in domestic violence cases must be experienced Crowns
with advanced training and experience in both bail hearing practices and
the dynamics of domestic violence.

3. Only experienced Crown Attomeys should be involved
in charge screening and the completion of charge screening forms. Paralegal's
should not be involved in the charge screening process.

4. No part-time Assistant Crown Attorneys, or
Crowns working on a per diem basis should be assigned to conduct domestic
violence bail hearings.

5. Crown Attorneys/Assistant Crown Attorneys should
be directed to warn the woman victim that all information provided by her
during meetings is subject to disclosure through the Defence to her abusive
partner.

6. The Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attorneys
should ensure that the victim has the support of Victim Services during
all meetings with him/her.

7. Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attorneys must
ensure that notes are taken in all meetings with victims and that the notes
reflect the date and time, persons present, and the substance of the issues
raised and recommendations or decisions made.

8. In every domestic violence case, one Crown
Attomey/Assistant Crown should be assigned responsibility for the entire
case from the time of the bail hearing until criminal disposition of the
case.

9. Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attomeys should
be scheduled for a number of consecutive days in bail court, perhaps a
week at a time, to maintain continuity in the carnage of cases.

10. The Attomey General should arrange that every
Crown Attomey be immediately provided with at least one pre-scheduled day
out of Court per week for preparation of their cases, including victim/witness
interviews. Where involved in a lengthy or complex prosecution, additional
preparation time will be required.

11. Every Crown Attorney office shall have in
place, in consultation with the local Police Service and the Victim/Witness
Assistance programme co-ordinator an effective means of notifying the victim
of the time and place of the bail hearing, the victim's right to be present,
and that a process is in place to notify victims who do not attend as to
the results of the bail hearing.

12. Wherever possible, when a victim of domestic
violence requests that a charge be withdrawn or that a non-contact term
of an accused's recognizance be varied, the Crown Attomey should refer
her to the Victim/Witness Assistance co-ordinator, who should conduct an
interview and prepare a written report to confirm that the request is made
free of duress, intimidation, or any other undue influence. That it is
within the discretion of the Crown Attomey not to accede to such requests
must be explained to the victim.

13. Prior to the conduct of a bail hearing involving
domestic violence the prosecutor shall ensure that there is sufficient
information within the Crown brief and that it has been read carefully.

14. In the conduct of bail hearings involving
domestic violence all prosecutors in order to support the mandatory charging
policies should: ,

a) Be mindful of the cycle of violence and its
impact on the relationship between the victim and the accused;

b) Oppose bail unless satisfied that conditions
of release can be imposed that ensure the safety of the victim and prevent
other offences;

c) Oppose release in all instances where the accused
is charged with a breach of prior release, or has a record of breaching
terms of release;

d) Consider, where appropriate, calling as a witness
at the hearing the investigating police officer,

e) Ensure that the Court is informed as to the
victim's views of her safety in the event of a release of the accused;
and

f) Advise the Court of any indicators of lethality
as reflected in the circumstances of the allegations, the relationship
between the accused and the victim, and the background of the accused.

15. Oppose the variation of terms of a release
order, except in extraordinary circumstances and without consulting the
victim and receiving a report by the Victim/Witness.

16. Avoid the staying, withdrawal or plea bargaining
of charges where there is a reasonable prospect of conviction.

17. When Crown Attorneys oppose judicial interim
releases or make submissions on sentences they should be able to provide
the Court with the current thinking of leading authorities, or call expert
evidence concerning the magnitude of domestic violence in Canada, as well
as battering theories, the indicators of lethality, the emotional and physical
harm that domestic violence causes the victim as well as the impact on
children exposed directly or indirectly to violence.

18. When a prosecutor exercises discretion to
consent to a bail release, whether a Crown onus show cause or a reverse
onus situation, the prosecutor must present all material factors necessary
to permit the judicial officer to make an independent and impartial decision
as to whether the recommended release and the suggested terms are appropriate.

19. In all cases of domestic violence the prosecutor
conducting the bail hearing must advise the judicial officer to consider
the imposition of a term requiring the accused on release not to possess
any weapons, firearms, ammunition or explosives and to surrender any firearms
acquisition certificates pursuant to section 515 (4.1) of the Criminal
Code of Canada.

20. When an accused is released at the conclusion
of a bail hearing the Crown Attorney shall ensure that a process is in
place within the jurisdiction whereby the Victim/Witness Assistance programme
staff can readily advise the victim of the terms of the release, advise
the victim of community supports available to enhance her safety, and that
she has been advised as to how to establish an effective safety plan.

21. Crown Attorneys/Assistant Crowns should be
encouraged to use expert testimony, including testimony from front line
woman's advocate in shelters and other women's services at bail and trial
processes.

22. Crown Attomeys should be requesting consideration
of Section 7 and Section 15 Charter Rights - the right to life, liberty
and personal security as well as equality rights in cases of domestic violence,
in addition to the rights of the accused before determining orders of bail
release, bail conditions or any other court order. (ie. The victim's right
to safety is as important as the accused right to freedom).

23. Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crowns must incorporate
risk assessment analysis and a full history of violence in sentencing submissions
to the Court. ,

24 In any domestic violence case where a recognizance
is breached, the surety should be marked for estreatment..

25. Any breach of recognizance in a domestic violence
case must be viewed as a potential risk enhancer and consequently be prosecuted
vigorously and stricter penalties should be sought on conviction.

26. Every Crown Attorney shall comply with the
policies and guidelines of the Ministry of the Attomey General dealing
with bail hearings (B-l), spousal/partner abuse (SP-I), firearms/weapons
offences (F-l) in the conduct of cases involving domestic violence.

27. An effective programme should be developed
to supervise Crown Attomey/Assistant Crowns which should include the training
of Crown Attomeys in effective supervision, performance management skills
and effective documentation. Systems to ensure a complete knowledge of
Crown policies and the monitoring of compliance with Crown policies must
be put in place.

28. Every Crown Attorney in the Province of Ontario
must acknowledge to their supervisor in writing, that the contents of the
manual have been read and understood.

29. Every domestic violence file must contain
a docket sheet whereon the Crown Attomey who has dealings with the file
will be required to make a notation of his/her involvement in the case.

Q VICTIMS PROTECTION FROM DISCLOSURE

1. The Ministry of the Attomey General should
study the issue of a vulnerable victim's advocate as a part of the criminal
justice process.

Rationale

The position of the victim in domestic violence
cases is different from that of other victims. She will be obliged to have
an ongoing relationship with the accused in order to deal with property,
support and child custody/visitation issues. For this reason it is imperative
that the victims of domestic violence have a strong voice in the proceedings
of the courts and be assured of the protection of client/solicitor privilege.
This study could investigate the theoretical and practical issues in the
implementation of this major change to the Criminal Justice System.

2. The Government of Ontario, following comprehensive
facilitated consultations with survivors of violence and women's equality
seeking and advocacy groups, consider enacting legislation to protect the
confidentiality of communications between women's advocates and their clients.

4. A designated number of Victim Services staff
should be practicing members of the Bar of Ontario available to front line
staff on an as needed basis to provide legal advice and, if necessary,
to represent women within the justice system.

R. EDUCATION/TRAINING

1. The Government of Ontario, should through appropriate
Ministry budgets, provide funding to professional educational institutions
and bodies for the early training of all community professionals in contact
with abused women and their children. This would include doctors, mental
health professionals, teachers, lawyers, social workers, social assistance
caseworkers, early childhood educators, etc.

2. The Law Society of Upper Canada should incorporate
domestic violence training, including lethality assessment and safety planning,
into all relevant sections of its Bar Admission materials.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training should
ensure that issues of domestic violence and its impact on children be integrated
into curriculum at all levels from junior kindergarten to high school graduation.

4. School Boards should be required to provide
programmeming within the schools of their districts to teach adolescents
the meaning of healthy relationships free of the exercise of power and
control, coercion and violence.

5. School boards, and the schools within their
districts must adopt a programme of zero tolerance against violence by
integrating violence prevention programmes into the school curriculum.

6. Strategies must be developed within the educational
system to identify children who are at risk because of direct or indirect
exposure to domestic violence. Appropriate referrals to services that will
promote safety and healing for the child should be made. ;

7. Educators must be trained to foster a climate
within the schools to encourage children to disclose the violence in their
lives.

S. ATTORNEY GENERAL

General

1. The Ministry of the Attorney General should
create a package of resource materials on domestic violence including its
impact on children for every Crown Attomey's office in Ontario for use
by Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attomeys in case preparation.

2. A policy for domestic violence cases should
be developed which outlines the process of information sharing between
Crown Attorney offices with respect to Crown briefs in situations where
an accused is required to appear before a Court in another jurisdiction.

3. The Attomey General should, in cases of domestic
violence, ensure that Crown Attomeys are required to prepare memoranda
for the Crown brief, outlining the reasoning behind:,

a) Consent releases on bail hearings;b) Consent to the variation of terms of release,
particularly where the variation permits contact by the accused with the
victim;c) The staying, or withdrawal of any charge;
and) Any Plea bargain.

Standards should be developed for such documentation.

4. The Attomey General should ensure that there
are dedicated resources that permit the calling of expert evidence at the
discretion of senior prosecutors in consultation with the local Crown Attomey
manager in cases of domestic violence.

5. The Attomey General should ensure in any legislative
reform to Family Law, that mandatory mediation is not extended to any circumstances
requiring determination of family law issues where there is a history of
domestic violence.

Rationale '

In cases of domestic violence, where the victim
and the accused are spouses there is a risk of serious danger to the victim.
Contact with the accused in mediation would only increase this danger.
Also the relationship between the victim and accused is such that the mediation
process would only provide the accused with more opportunities to exercise
power and control over the victim. Please refer to #3 and #9 of the 'Community
Based Children's' Services' section of these recommendations.

6. The Attomey General should ensure that the
exercise of discretion by his agents should never be influenced by considerations
of expediency, particularly when the Crown considers its position on bail
hearings, or when engaged in plea bargain discussions.

7. The Attomey General must ensure that the prosecutorial
service is adequately resourced if the standards set in the crown policy
manual are to be achieved and maintained. The lowering of standards in
order to process cases is not only inappropriate but it is not in the public
interest.

8. The Attomey General should monitor domestic
violence cases that, do not meet the threshold test for "reasonable prospect
of conviction" on an annual basis to determine that the threshold test
is evaluated for effectiveness and to ensure that cases are not improperly
screened out because of inadequate investigation or evidence collection,
time and resource pressures of Crown offices or failure to comply with
Police and Crown policy.

9. The Ministry of the Attomey General shall work
with Ontario Women's Directorate and consult with METRAC and other victims'
groups to continue improving victim support services and response to domestic
violence.

T. ATTORNEY GENERAL

Crown Policy/Manuals

1. While domestic violence cases should be prosecuted
in keeping with the standards established in the Crown policy manual, the
appropriate exercise of discretion by Crown Attomeys should be fostered
in the construction and application of such policies.

2. All Crown Attomeys should be provided with
their own copy of the Ministry of the Attomey General policy manual in
printed form.

3. The Ministry of the Attomey General policy
manual must contain an index of its contents, a checkoff list with every
page within the manual identified by date of entry to ensure that it is
kept up-to-date and is complete.

4. There should be timely and meaningful consultation
with the Ontario Crown Attomey's Association and other stake holders before
any new Crown policy is implemented. No new policy should be implemented
unless staffing and resources are available to allow the policy to be complied
with.

5. Consideration should be given to amending the
Crown Policy Manual to provide Crown Attomeys with a checklist of appropriate
considerations when deciding whether it is appropriate to grant a bail
release, variation or withdraw charges in cases of domestic violence.

6. Attomey General shall amend the Crown Policy
Manual to add a section to deal specifically with the criminal harassment
provision of the Criminal Code, and to provide Crown Attomeys with guidance
and direction on the vigorous and successful prosecution of criminal harassment
charges.

7. The definition of 'spousal/partner abuse' within
the SP-1 policy should be expanded to cover all cases of domestic violence
involving intimate partners and dating relationships.

8. The bail policy as contained in the Crown policy
manual (B-l) should include a checklist of considerations and factors to
be taken into account whenever a bail variation is requested in cases of
domestic violence.

9. The Ministry of the Attorney General shall
work toward an effective system of distribution of new, updated or amended
policies of the manual to its Crown Attomeys.

10. The policy regarding the prosecution of criminal
harassment, (stalking), should direct that Crown Attomeys avoid staying,
withdrawing, or otherwise plea bargaining away such charges where there
is evidence that meets the prosecutorial standard of a reasonable prospect
of conviction, in order that the record of the offender reflect the nature
of the criminal conduct.

11. The Attomey General should develop policies
and procedures to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence attending
court at the same time as accused.

U. ATTORNEY GENERAL

Legal Aid and Funding

I. The Ministry of the Attomey General, in conjunction
with the Law Society of Upper Canada, shall review the adequacy of emergency
legal aid funding for victims of domestic violence.

2. Legal aid funding and hours of legal services
for family law issues should be increased to ensure that women and children
experiencing domestic violence, have sufficient financial resources to
address all family law related issues affecting their safety, well-being,
property and legal rights under the law.

3. The Legal Aid Plan should establish a fund
for financial support for victims families and advocacy organizations to
assist with representation at future Coroner's inquests where a lack of
resources presents a barrier to full and equal participation. This is important
for victim's families.

V. ATTORNEY GENERAL

Management and Accountability

1. A professional management consultant should
be retained by the Ministry of the Attorney General to conduct a systemic
analysis of the criminal law division with particular focus on:

a) Working conditions;b) Concerns relating to lack of preparation time
and insufficient Crown resources;c) Bail hearings; andd) Making recommendations directed to what changes
are needed to meet Attomey General policy guidelines.

2. The Ministry of the Attorney General should
develop a protocol in consultation with other justice partners within the
Government of Ontario to address changes that impact on resources available
to the Criminal Law Division. As an example, if the number of police officers
increase within a jurisdiction it may likely result in an increased number
of charges. Accordingly, there should be a formula to increase the number
of Crown prosecutors, Judges and court facilities in these cases.

3. The practice of hiring articled students should
be re-instated as a cost effective way to reduce the work load of Crowns
and to ensure a supply of well trained Crowns for the future.

4. Attorney General policy should be realistic
and attainable. Dedicated resources must be put in place to allow Crowns
to meet the standards set by the Ministry.

5. A transparent, easily accessible complaint
process should be developed for victims and their advocates, as well as
members of the public to make complaints about the performance of Crown
Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attomeys in Ontario and to have their complaints
addressed.

6. The Ministry of the Attorney General should
ensure that there is an appropriate data collection process within the
Integrated Justice Project to permit an effective evaluation of the outcomes
of the domestic violence initiatives and other services to victims.

7. The Attomey General must develop a system for
the supervision of Crown Attomeys/Assistant Crown Attomeys which will include
regular annual performance reviews. This system should ensure compliance
with the mandatory provisions of the Crown Policy Manual, an evaluation
of the prosecution of domestic violence cases and the execution of bail
hearings.

8. The Attomey General should review the people/manager
ratios (span of control) through out the Ministry to ensure adequate monitoring
of staff.

9. The Attomey General shall undertake a review,
in consultation with the Judiciary, of all existing training materials
and court manuals on preparation of court documents for bail hearings with
a view to standardizing these materials.

W. ATTORNEY GENERAL

Education and Training

1. The Attomey General should ensure that all
Crown Attomeys in the prosecutorial service receive training in the dynamics
of domestic violence, the cycle of violence and the power and control exercised
within intimate relationships. Further, Crown Attomeys who deal with cases
of domestic violence must be trained to use strategies to prosecute cases
without the necessity of victim cooperation or participation. The training
should include:

a) Knowledge of the relevant law;b) A case book of the current thinking of leading
authorities and experts on the magnitude of domestic violence in Canada,
battering theories and the emotional and physical harm that domestic violence
causes victims;c) Techniques for the vigorous and successful
prosecution of difficult cases, such as the use of KGB video tape statements,
photographs of injuries, 911 audio taped emergency calls;d) A thorough familiarity with the relevant provisions
of the Crown policy manual dealing with bail, spousal/partner abuse, firearm/weapons
offences and criminal harassment;e) The use of risk assessment instruments and
lethality checklists;f) The use of expert evidence;g) Effective interview techniques and active
listening skills;h) The effective use of the Victim Services available
through the Victim/Witness Assistance programme and/or community based
victim service programme; andi) Training on arguing the right of abused women
under Section 7 and15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

2. There should be adherence to the Yeo inquest
recommendations pertaining to training of Crown Attorneys regarding bail
hearings and effective advocacy, with emphasis on those issues in the context
of domestic violence cases.

3. There should be more education and training
opportunities for Crown Attorneys both within the criminal law division
and outside professional organizations such as the Canadian Bar Association,
the Law Society of Upper Canada, Advocate Society and the Federation of
Law Societies. In particular, the Crown Attorneys Fall Conference should
be restored as a compliment to the Spring Conference and the Crown Attomeys
Summer School.

4. The Attomey General should develop an evaluation
tool to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of training end to identify
training needs with respect to domestic violence. The tool should also
identify the extent to which training is implemented by Crown Attomey/Assistant
Crown Attomey in daily practice.

5. The Attorney General should develop any new
Crown training materials on domestic violence in collaboration with independent
front line, community-based women's advocates.

6. The Attomey General should endeavour to arrange
presentations in domestic violence training situations by independent,
community-based women's and children's advocates and survivors of domestic
violence.

7. The Ministry of the Attomey General should
ensure that all Children's lawyers, all lawyers on the Provincial panel
dealing with parent/child relationships and all family court child assessment
professionals receive training on issues of domestic violence and its impact
on children in collaboration with independent, community-based children's
and women's advocates, including training on compounding issues such as
race, culture, language, disability, sexuality, etc.

X. COMMUNITY BASED C:HILDREN'S SERVICES

1. Child protection services and Children's Mental
Health centres should inquire on all intake interviews whether children
have witnessed violence within the home.

3. Child protection legislation should be amended
to include in the definition of "child in the need of protection", children
who are exposed to domestic violence. Rather than triggering the "apprehension"
function of the child protection services, which would inhibit the reporting
of domestic violence by mothers, the detection or reporting of children
exposed to domestic violence should result in access to services and resources
to the mother and the children.

4. Counselling and advocacy programmes for child
witnesses should be established in independent, community-based agencies
such as woman's shelters and women's services with expertise in domestic
violence against women and its impact on child witnesses in order to provide
integrated, seamless support for both women and children as a family unit.

5. Child protection workers and women advocates
should be involved in con-joint training to resolve misunderstandings and
conflicts in their approach to issues involving the safety of women and
children.

6. In cases of homicide or homicide-suicide, children
of all relationships of the offender and victims should receive immediate
comprehensive intervention and support from counselors and advocates with
expertise in all aspects of domestic violence and its impact on child witnesses.

Under no circumstances should the media have unsupervised
access to the children in these situations.

7. Both the Federal Minister of Justice and the
provincial Attorney General should amend their respective legislation,
i.e. The Divorce Act and the Children's Law Reform Act, to include:

a) A presumption against awarding custody or unsupervised
access of children to an abusing parent in cases of domestic violence;
and

b) A definition of the "best interest of the child"
which considers whether an abusive parent is a proper parental model.

Y. COMMUNITY BASED VICTIM SERVICES

1. Victim Services, whether based on the model
of VCARS or Victim Services of Peel, or a combination of those services
should be immediately made available across the province to provide assistance
to the victim from the time of victimization to the conclusion of the court
process and beyond. Victims, wherever they are located in the Province
of Ontario should be entitled to an equal level of service independent
of the Criminal Justice System on a 24 hour, 7 day a week basis.

2. Victim Services should have access to police
synopsis of the incident.

3. Victim Services should be fully funded by the
Government of Ontario.

4. Any Victim Service, recommended by the Steering
Committee should include the following aspects and components:

a) Provision of advocacy and support that is independent
of any government ministry control in order to ensure advocacy that is
solely dedicated to supporting women's safety and well-being, and capable
of providing unfettered critique of systemic barriers to both individual
women, and women as a group;

b) Provision of children's advocate workers to
advance the interests of child witnesses within the justice system;

c) Victim Services staff should advise victims
of domestic violence about issues related to the experience of domestic
violence, act as a central contact person independent of the control of
the Justice System, accompany women to appointments with Police and Crown
Attorneys/Assistant Crowns and assist in the education of the Justice system
with respect to issues of domestic violence;

d) Victim Services should be located in community-based
women's services facilities such as shelters; and '

1. All abusers counselling groups funded by the
Government of Ontario for attachment to special domestic violence courts
must include the following aspects:

a) Mandatory training for all abusers' counselling
leaders on issues of importance to women victims of domestic violence and
their children from community-based, front line women's and children's
advocates as a pre-condition for public funding. And further that training
include gender issues in domestic violence as well as sensitivity to issues
of culture, race, disability etc. as compounding barriers to women and
children escaping violence;

b) Accountability to partners of those in the
programme including frequent contact between the programme and any partner
of participants involved in the groups;

c) Limitations on the confidentiality of abusers
and duty to warn partners, Police and Probation Officers of danger to the
victim or any other partner of the abuser,

d) Provision for at least 26 weeks of counselling
with regular follow-up services for a period of time after completion of
counselling; and